


Some Gryffindor (or: Dear Marlene)

by 27Vespertine



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Black Family (Harry Potter), Character Death, Death Eater Regulus (mentioned), F/M, Gen, Letters, Marlene is cursed, Other, Unforgivable Curses (Harry Potter), first wizarding war
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-26
Updated: 2018-01-26
Packaged: 2019-03-09 18:51:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13487601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/27Vespertine/pseuds/27Vespertine
Summary: Sirius Black has some thoughts about Marlene McKinnon being cursed by a fellow student.He wanted to warn her; his suspicions strong enough to do something. Some Gryffindor he was.





	Some Gryffindor (or: Dear Marlene)

 

Marlene,

 

Tomorrow. Midnight. Gryffindor Common Room.  
Please.

I know we're not the closest of friends, but I need to talk to you.  
(It's not a joke. I promise.)

 

 

 

Marlene,

 

Yep. I'm still using the same parchment. You're guessing right, too: I never sent that previous note.

So I heard the news from Remus and you can only imagine how awful I feel, because maybe I might have been able to change anything about this awful situation? I was just too chickenshit to do it.

I wanted to, but I never ~~had the balls to~~ asked you for help, either. (Some Gryffindor I am, right. But anyone can tell you that, really - with a name like mine.)

I keep thinking that I could have somehow prevented this... even though I know they would have found a way to get to you anyway.

I'm sorry for what happened to you, Marlene. I'm really sorry. ~~If I'd know what~~

~~I should have known what~~

Just... Please accept my apology, Marlene. I'm-

 

...yeah, James entered our dormitory and I had to hide this letter so fast you can call me a time traveler from now on. But, Agrippa, you know how he gets; loud and nosy and then he'd mock me forever if he saw me doing this.

He's so noisy, too. Can't do anything quietly, can he? I love that wizard to bits; he's like the brother I always wished for. But sometimes I could just _strangle_ him, know what I mean?

Merlin, I'm pouring my heart out to a bit of parchment that I keep in my back pocket. Am I going insane?

Marlene, I can't share this with anyone and it drives me up the walls. I should have just asked you for help or warned you ~~or, Merlin, I should have just forced you to join Evans on~~  but it wouldn't have made a difference, would it?

I'm so sorry you're in the Hospital Wing.

(In case you're wondering: the raspberry chocolates - those are mine. I hope you like them. ~~You'll never read this, anyway.~~ )

 

 

 

So I hexed Snivellus for you.

They keep saying he had nothing to do with what happened to you, but if I'm to aim _one more jinx_ at my twit of a brother, I'll probably be expelled.

Oh, don't look like that - you'd hex him good, too. Don't lie to me; I was eavesdropping on you when you were at the library with Evans last week, so don't even attempt to deny it! ~~(Agrippa, who am I even kidding.)~~

Ah, that's right. Evans. Of course, she witnessed it all, the harpy. Went _ballistic_ , points docked, detention, yadda yadda - nothing that I don't already know.

 ~~It's so frustrating to~~ You're still in the Hospital Wing and I'm officially not allowed to visit you. But I hope you realize that Regulus will get what's coming for him. And I promise you that this - this will _never_ happen again. Not to you, not to anyone. This ridiculous war has gone on long enough.

 

Hey. You know what? These Bluffing Quills _are_ brilliant. (Sugar Quills, too - but we ate those during Divination. Such a weird class, don't you think?)

McGonagall still thinks I'm making notes on Animagi, haha.

Ah, Merlin's bollocks. She's on to me.

 

 

 

 ~~You have no idea how relieved I am that~~  

You finally woke up. I'm unsure whether I should talk to you or not. After everything that's happened these past weeks, I'm hesitant to draw more attention to a McKinnon, especially coming from a Black.

Do you think I should talk to Dumbledore?

I _want_ to talk to Dumbledore, but... Merlin, would he even believe me? Nobody believes a Black. And surely not one who messed with the tradition and tumbled down the Gryffindor rabbit hole, of all places... 

~~But to be honest, I think I don't belong there and it scares me, Marlene.~~

 

 

 

You're back in class. Oh, and you've still got my quill, but I don't mind.  ~~Maybe there's a chance after all for me to~~

~~When this war is over, I'm going to tell you just how amazing your laugh sounds to me.~~

I'll ask for it back another day (when you're alone - I do enjoy your company a lot more when Evans is not next to you because these days, all she does it yell her lungs out at Prongs for some reason or another. Those two really need to sort out all that sexual tension, or we'll all go insane.)

Merlin's beard, I'm rambling. Okay. Black, gather your wits and go speak with Dumbledore. It's not that hard, for Godric's sake...

~~But it's just that I'm~~

~~Dumbledore~~

~~My family is so~~

I hope this war is over very, very soon. I'm ~~scared~~ worried, Marlene. You're the only one I trust with this - the only one I can speak to so freely... (Well, on parchment, but that's a detail.)

 

PS: I heard you liked those chocolates I sent you. It's nice to know that my favorite appears to be yours as well. ~~Maybe one day we can go to Hogsmeade together and~~

 

 

 

_Marlene. You're dead._

 

 

 

I didn't attend your funeral.

Even if I'd been invited, I wouldn't have gone. As if anyone would let me leave from there with all body parts intact.

Prongs (you know, _Mister Head Boy_ now _)_ has officially prohibited me from being near the Dungeons - for my own safety, he says.

Bit dumb of you, Prongs. I could handle those nitwits with my eyes closed. It's been quite a while since we've practiced dueling, he and I, so I don't think James realizes exactly how far my abilities go these days - but I doubt I even _needed_ a wand today, all things considering. Emotions really do influence a wizard, don't they? And really, what did he expect? I'm a Black, after all.

Those swines got what they deserved.

What they did to you, Marlene... It makes me sick with anger - and scared. It doesn't matter that I'm supposed to be a Gryffindor; when I imagine what you must have gone through, I can only shiver in horror and I try not to cry.

I wish I could have protected you, but _I didn't know how._

Or, maybe that's not entirely true. I think I did know how - and I do realize that now. I was just too scared to do anything and just - just _look at us now_. This is where it made you end up. I'm _so_ ashamed - I feel horrible.

I'm a shit Gryffindor and I've proven them all right. 

Would you betray your own family if you suspected they were Death Eaters? ...Not even when they've long since burned your name off the family tapestry? ~~And what if they were the ones that killed the only person you ever loved, even though~~  

I guess it doesn't matter now what you would have answered. It's too late. You were their only daughter, and I knew there was a very big chance they were after your family. I just never, ever believed that they would actually go through with anything. 

 

I never planned to show you this letter (which really has gotten a bit out of hand, I think), but I suppose now it doesn't matter either...

For what it's worth, Marlene: your death hasn't been in vain. I know now what I have to do: _find Dumbledore_. I've heard he's in charge of the rebellion, and I know where I belong now. _I'm not a Black at heart_ , and Merlin knows that they will all get what they deserve.

 

~~I'm sorry that I never~~

~~I wish I'd had the courage to tell you~~

~~You were always so~~

~~You were the only one who could let me~~

~~_I think I loved you_ ~~

 

I hope you rest in peace, Marlene.

 

 

Sirius Black

 

__

 

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt was "Write a letter", and original language was Dutch, but I translated it to my best ability. If anyone wants to betaread and/or suggest corrections, please feel free to get in touch! I'm happy for some constructive feedback on my English (though I kept this one very simple).  
> Hope you liked it! Also curious to your thoughts on Sirius and/or Marlene.


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